What kind of PC hardware do you think is required to run SC2 at MAX settings?

Was thinking of getting a reasonably priced new RIG, but am looking for equipment that would run SCII with maximum settings in every regard! Does anyone here know or have a good estimate of what would be required, with cheapness in mind?

Thanks!

 

You should look at this thread

http://www.starcraft2forum.org/forums/showthread.php?t=6052

 

Thanks but that information was posted last September, rendering the info obsolete practically.

Anyone have NEW information about cheap comps that could eat SC2?!

 

Well we would know a little bit more when the beta comes out

 

I bet the beta will be released by the end of the month or June AT THE LATEST! Blizzcon is coming early this year for a reason! I'd imagine its right before or right after the actual release of SC2!!

 

Of course not. The engine and techniques that get used are still the same. Pixel shader 2.0, havok physics, directx 10 supported graphics, etc. Requirements are still roughly the same. A bit more details on units should not affect requirements that much.

And if you really want to run on max settings, then there are no cheap computers that run it. However, assembling one yourself can save you about 30 percent, especially if you order parts over the internet. Also, you should wait with that. Parts that are expensive now, will run the game just as fine around the release. You will get a much better deal on a SC2 max settings rig if you delay your puchase.

 

That information is not in the least obsolete. If you're going to get the bare bones for maxing StarCraft 2 then that information's not going to change. The parts will only get cheaper.

But, if I had to give you a computer spec, I would say get an iBUYPOWER PC with an Athlon X2 7850 with an ATI HD Radeon 3870 for 489$. That computer would max StarCraft 2 easily at decent resolutions.

You might even be able to go lower or cheaper. Just wait for beta information.

@Aurora: There are cheap computers that max Crysis, Company Of Heroes, and Dawn Of War 2. Therefore, there will be cheap computers that will easily max StarCraft 2.

Off-topic: How can you still be so damn blindly optimistic? I can't believe you're still at that level. A release before December would still be pretty lucky. Summer doesn't start until June 21, so let's say we're lucky and it starts then exactly, you still have to wait four to five months for the actual release. That means about November. Remember, that's under ideal conditions.

 

The logic is understood. The point remains that that info is not CURRENT. Its based on older information, and from someone who is only mild-intermediate computer literate, a fully updated compendium would be far more useful.

 

No. From a person who builds computers and is very much into this sort of thing, I am telling you "NO!".

 

Well, I'd recommend you making the comp yourself. Its really not that hard (or you could pay someone a few bucks to do it) and It will save you quite some money, and your PC will be better overall compared to other people. Custom > Premade.

In terms of what to buy.. well, what you can do is use the 700$ comp that jon posted and upgrade JUST A LITTLE, cause really, you could use that comp and run it on max anyway, but if you're scared that It will not run properly, you can buy a bigger GPU.. say, an ATI Radeon HD4850:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131153

Its a great, not too expensive card that totally kicks ass AND If in a few years it starts running slowly, you can buy a 2nd one and use them together via CrossfireX. Priceless.
If you can afford it, you can get an HD4870. On my computer, I have 2x 4870's, and believe me when I say that is OVERkill.
Seriously though, that 700$ comp is a pretty damn good one. You already have 2 gb of good ram. You can get 4 gbs.. but really, anything extra is overkill.
What you can also do is get a few extra coolers and overclock just a little bit to improve performance.
But believe me, you won't need it with that pc.

 

iBUYPOWER is actually cheaper than building the computer yourself if you include things like new Windows.

 

So that older card would run SC2 at its VERY BEST settings?

 

well keep im mind that SC2 is not an fps, and that card can already run games like Oblivion and Crysis at high graphics.. so same thing applies here as well.
Anyway, its your choice really. Obviously, if you can afford something bigger go right ahead. All im saying is you probably won't need it. Not for Starcraft at least.

And Tychus.. Me be a pirate harrrr so me don't mind the price of windows matey

 

Yes, but there are additional costs besides Windows

Also, a computer that plays StarCraft 2 is practically nothing. Think about World of WarCraft's requirements compared to recent FPS. Just get a PC that can play a few FPS at normal resolution and medium graphics and you've got a StarCraft 2 killer. But, if I were you and I could wait, I would wait until the DirectX 11 cards come out as well as Windows 7. Then, the GTX 200's will be much cheaper and you can snag a GTS 250 or GTX 260.

 

That's almost stealing. XD
But just listen to the people here, prodigal: have a little bit of patience. That saves you quite a considerable amount of money. Especcialy if you do what Tychus suggested in the post above mine.

But consider this: other games will not run as smoothly. If you only want to play games with low specs, go ahead. If you plan on playing lots of fps games and such, buy a better system. It all comes down to what games you like most, a bit like when choosing a console. -for example: 360 has better racing games, wii has better party games, etc-

 

The computer I and Maelstrom mentioned will max most current FPS completely with the exception of Crysis (but, still most things will be maxed in that game). So, you'll be good for a few years since the consoles will be holding back the PC's graphics for years to come. Last I heard, Microsoft and Sony said they were trying to make this generation last much longer with the Xbox lasting past 2012 and the PS3 lasting until 2015 (That's what Sony wants at least). So, the computers we're talking about you shouldn't have to worry about much even a few years from now since games will still be made after console specifications even years in the future. I'd say the only thing you'd need to upgrade for is PC CryEngine 3 games and Project Origin (Which actually might be a Larrabee exclusive).

But, regardless, if you want to be future proof then buy an i7 computer when the new AMD processors come out (Again, supposedly this summer). The i7's are awesome and they'll be much more awesome once they get a price drop to compete with AMD. Then, just upgrade your graphics card or pop-in a duplicate as needed. Processors last much longer than graphics cards, for the most part, (if you buy them right) in terms of being able to play games in the future.

However, if the new AMD processors kick i7's butt then, of course, switch my recommendation to the new AMD processors.

 

But what use are those ubercards then at the moment? I could buy them in 2012 cheaper and stick with those again for years. Are those best cards just for people who play at insine res or something? Or for video editing people? -although I know nvidea already has special cards for companies like Pixar, specialized in rendering cgi-

 

They're for playing games with anti-alasing and anisoptric filtering in high resolution at stable framerates. It's not like you can't use that extra power; it's just that most people don't need it. You can install modifications or edit the .ini settings of Crysis and make it slaughter 4x GTX 295 at low resolution.

The people who buy the top quality graphics cards are enthusiasts and as enthusiasts they know how to flip those cards to get most of their money back, so, really, they're only paying 200$-400$ for a top of the line PC that can be used for about two or three years.

 

If people talk about playing games at max settings, then I usually asume that also includes special options like those. Also, I think that when somebody says 'being able to play', they do not mean: 'you can run it with that card, but it will go sloppy as hell'. So you guys kinda confused me there, that caused me to think those cards had no purpose. Uugh, consoles are so much more covinient.

 

But you get what you paid for. This really isn't that complicated. If you took the time to read a few things, you'd find these matters to be very, very basic.

Also, .ini settings and modifications change with the times. There's no reason you should consider this "maxing" it or else you would be saying things like "Damnit! That GTX 295 can't max Quake 3 yet!" or "My 2000$ PC can't max WarCraft 3!"

I think you misunderstood what I meant about mods and .ini settings. Modifications change the game dramatically. For example, the original Doom, whose engine is basically sprites stretched to look 3D, has been modified to use DirectX / OpenGL effects and render polygons that challenge even the best low-end hardware today.